Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
The Great Pretender: piano accompaniment sheet music
By The Platters
- Eb major
- 4/4
- 72 BPM
- 1955
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
The Great Pretender written out as piano music: the I – I7 – IV – V7 – I – IV – I – ii – V7 loop in Eb major for both hands, with chord names and finger numbers. Press play and follow the cursor. The left hand plays over-the-hill (broken chord 1-5-3-1), and the right hand sings the tune.
The Great Pretender chord chart
The loop once round, bar by bar, in Eb major. The roman numeral says the chord's place in the key, so the same chart works in any key.
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eb | I | Eb G Bb |
| 1 | Eb7 | I7 | Eb G Bb Db |
| 2 | Ab | IV | Ab C Eb |
| 2 | Bb7 | V7 | Bb D F Ab |
| 3 | Eb | I | Eb G Bb |
| 3 | Ab | IV | Ab C Eb |
| 4 | Eb | I | Eb G Bb |
| 4 | Fm | ii | F Ab C |
| 4 | Bb7 | V7 | Bb D F Ab |
What the sheet music shows
The grand staff: the right hand on the treble staff, the left hand on the bass staff, with the chord names above and a finger number on each note (1 is the thumb). It is the accompaniment: over-the-hill (broken chord 1-5-3-1) in the left hand, with the right hand free for the melody, over the Eb – Eb7 – Ab – Bb7 – Eb – Ab – Eb – Fm – Bb7 chords.
Press play and a cursor follows the music. Above it, Colours paints each note in its key’s colour and Note names writes its letter on its head.
To see the real melody written out, play “The part you know”: the sheet music changes to it.
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Questions about The Great Pretender
Does the sheet music for The Great Pretender have finger numbers?
Yes: every note of both hands has its finger number, 1 being the thumb. To read the notes alone, turn Fingers off above the music.
What chords are in The Great Pretender?
The loop is Eb – Eb7 – Ab – Bb7 – Eb – Ab – Eb – Fm – Bb7 (I – I7 – IV – V7 – I – IV – I – ii – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Fm – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is The Great Pretender in?
Eb major, at about 72 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in The Great Pretender?
Over-the-hill: broken chord 1-5-3-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is The Great Pretender easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 9 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Can I hear the real melody of The Great Pretender?
Yes: "The part you know" plays the catchy part of the song from a score, with both hands.
Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.